As the River Goes By

Ben Courtice is a well known left and environmental activist who lives in Maddingley, just near Bacchus Marsh.

He is a prolific writer on political issues and social movements, and has recently started to branch out into writing that has a strong sense of place.

His tumblr site is called As the River Goes By, and is focused primarily on the observations that come from paying attention to what is happening in his neighbourhood: the country between the ‘ranges and the plains’. There are some lovely photo pictorials and seasonal observations about the often neglected country to the west of Melbourne, including the hidden gems of the Werribee Gorge and Lederderg River.

To me, there is beauty and a sense of meaning to be found in the simple observation of natural places, landscapes and systems. Ben’s site richly captures the details of his place, with a keen eye for detail that others may just pass by.

Bacchus Marsh is one of those places just off the freeway that people tend to flash past as they head ‘somewhere else’. I highly recommended this site for it’s insights into the natural life of this near-western landscape.